Poetry: Language of the Times

Alt-rock, barista, codependent, designated driver, e-mail, frisée, G-spot, home theater, multitasker, spoiler alert, wordie. What do all these terms have in common? They are all listed with a “first known use” year of 1982 according to Merriam-Webster’s online Time Traveler tool (www.merriam-webster.com/time-traveler), which allows users to see what words first appeared in written or printed use in each year from the Old English period to 2020. Choose a year that has particular resonance to you, perhaps one that marks a turning point or significant event in your life, and browse through the words that are listed as first recorded that year. Write a poem about a memorable event and incorporate some of these words. How does this language transform the tone or thematic direction of your poem?